Hunt for drug dealer after teenager’s park death

Carson Price, 13, died in hospital after being discovered in Ystrad Mynach on Friday.

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Carson Price

Police investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy found unconscious in a park have appealed to youngsters to give up the name of the dealer who they believe supplied him with illegal drugs.

Carson Price was found on Friday evening in a park in Ystrad Mynach, near Caerphilly, South Wales, around a mile from his home in Hengoed, and officers believe “illegal substances” contributed to his death.

On Monday, Superintendent Nick McLain from Gwent Police issued an appeal on YouTube asking for help piecing together Carson’s final movements before he fell unconscious.

Mr McLain said: “At this moment, we don’t want to rush to any conclusions about the circumstances of how this happened. This is a difficult time for Carson’s family and friends, school friends and for the community of Ystrad Mynach.

“That said, we are aware that there has been a lot of speculation about the cause of death in the media and on social media which I feel it is important to address.

“At this moment, we are still awaiting official medical confirmation about how Carson died, which may take some time. Until then we cannot confirm that taking drugs caused Carson’s death.

“What we do know, tragically, is that Carson died in the public park and our inquiry does focus on illegal drugs being a contributing factor.

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“Our inquiries to date have indicated that drugs were supplied prior to him visiting the park and as a result, our investigation is broader than Ystrad Mynach and our inquiries are extended throughout the Caerphilly borough area.

Police in Ystrad Mynach Park (Ben Birchall/PA)

“We are particularly interested in Carson’s movement prior to him visiting the park that night.

“I believe somebody, somewhere, sold illegal drugs to Carson, and other people in the area will know who that person was. We will not tolerate this in Gwent.

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“The supply of drugs can ruin people’s lives and we ask residents that if they have any information regarding these suppliers, please contact us immediately.

“I want to encourage people to talk about what has happened. You may have a teenage child that wants to talk, for example – and we all need to make sure they are given the confidence to come forward.

“Ystrad Mynach Park is a busy park, that families enjoy and I want to encourage residents to continue to use it.

“Like many parks, we’ve received reports of anti-social behaviour and large congregations of children and our neighbourhood policing team along with partner agencies have worked tirelessly to keep it safe.

“No arrests have been made as yet but our investigation team are following many lines of inquiry.

“We are keeping the police and crime commissioner fully briefed with the developments of this case. ”

A short statement from Carson’s family described him as “kind and loving” and “a cheeky little boy”.